COURTS in Scotland have granted permission for a judicial review to scrutinise the financing of former US president Donald Trump’s assets in the country. 

Campaigners overcame a significant legal obstacle today when the Court of Session granted a request for a review of the Scottish government’s ability to impose an unexplained wealth order (UWO) — also dubbed a McMafia order — against Mr Trump’s purchase of golf courses. 

Social justice campaign group Avaaz won permission to seek a judicial review of the decision by SNP ministers not to back a motion in February in favour of pursuing an UWO.

This mechanism was introduced in 2018 to help authorities fight money laundering and target the illicit wealth of foreign officials. 

The Scottish government said that such decisions should be free of “political interference,” even though ministers have the sole responsibility to seek a UWO.

Avaaz had argued that ministers are obliged to seek a UWO where the relevant requirements under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 are met.

The court petition stated that there were “no reasonable grounds” to suspect that known sources of lawfully obtained income would have been sufficient to fund the former US president’s Scottish purchases.

Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie, who brought the motion in February, said: “It should never have got to the stage of a legal challenge from an NGO for the Scottish government to confirm or deny whether they will seek a McMafia order.”

The Trump Organisation was approached for comment.